Archive for October, 2015

Beauty is a timeless and subjective thing. It’s only partially a matter of how you look on the inside. It’s also the result of the type of person you are on the inside and how much light and joy you choose to share with the world. For these reasons we should actually celebrate getting a little older each year, and embrace the current version of ourselves, no matter our age.

That said, most of us also want to feel we’re presenting our personal best to the world each day. In order to source that confidence we can’t ignore the value of feeling like we look great! The way to accomplish outer beauty changes as we mature and old beauty tricks might not be very effective anymore. Check out these beautiful suggestions for women age fifty and older!

Toss the powder based makeup. It creates a slight bit of visual texture and mature skin already has natural texture. It also tends to settle into creases. Time to enjoy the benefits of cream based cosmetics.

Dial back the hue and boldness of your lipstick. It doesn’t have to be boring by any means, but if you choose something even a little closer to a neutral it will look more attractive. Truly bright lipstick can actually add age rather than detract from it.

Pay some time and attention to your eyebrows. They have likely thinned and become faint. Eyebrows, however, are a very important part of a complete face. Use a pencil or angle brush and power to fill them in. Don’t go to the extreme though!

Dial back on the eye shadow and avoid anything with shimmer. When you do wear eye shadow use soft neutral colors and nothing too dark. Stay out of the crease as well. A little definition there is fine, but any more and it will make your eyes look more recessed than they are.

Skip the BB cream and tinted moisturizers. As we age, our face benefits a great deal from an application of true foundation. Be sure it absorbs into the skin like a veil, and does not hover on top of it and look unnatural and forced. Also, match the color perfectly!

Whether we like it or not, appliances need to be cleaned just as well as the dishes that go in them. It’s never much fun to clean a refrigerator, stove, oven, or dishwasher, but there are definitely ways to make the job easier. Try this awesome trick to return your dishwasher to its former glory!

It will save you tons of time and elbow grease. It’s also an eco-friendly method, and that’s tough to come by when you’re cleaning major fixtures in a home. It’s also really effective for getting in the micro-areas in the dishwasher that you can’t possibly reach, even with a toothbrush. You can be sure that even the tiny spaces won’t have any residual food, mold, or ick left when you’re done! As with any new cleaning method, make sure you check with your manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t void the warranty!

Perform a quick, basic cleanup of the dishwasher by using a damp sponge. Wipe around the door, along the edges, and wipe any food bits out of the drain.

Combine hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and essential oil in the mixing bowl. It should feel similar to damp sand when you’re done mixing.

Use the spoon to scoop the mixture and create balls. Kind of like you would when making cookies from cookie dough, but bigger. Place the balls on the parchment paper. Allow them to dry for several hours or overnight.

Pour the vinegar into the ceramic/glass bowl and add the dishwashing detergent. Mix together, and place on the top rack of your dishwasher.

Place one baking soda bomb on the bottom rack in the cutlery basket. Then set your dishwasher to its hottest setting and run it.

Open it and boom! The trick worked and your dishwasher looks and smells super fresh and clean!

Put the rest of the balls in a container with a lid and use them as needed.

If you’ve been on the earth for a few decades it will come as no surprise that hydrogen peroxide is a bit of a miracle. Generations of home owners have been wielding its powers around the house. Here are three great tricks to use in your bathrooms to keep them clean and pretty! As with any cleaners, however, make sure to check with the manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t void a warranty! Since hydrogen peroxide is only slightly more acidic than water (on par with milk or rain water), it is safe to use on most surfaces.

Bathroom Grout

Spray thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide and let soak for awhile. Then, use a toothbrush and go to work on stains and discoloration. The power of the H2O2 bubbles combines with the scouring effect of the brush’s bristles and does wonders. It’s especially beneficial if you have a strong aversion toward chemical bathroom cleaners. They will get the job done, but they’re highly toxic. So much so that most of them require air flow and open window to be considered safe to use! Use H2O2 and breathe easy.

Quickly sanitize the shower

You can buy the bottled stuff at the drug store but why spend money on something so simple? Instead, use a spray bottle to lightly mist your shower with hydrogen peroxide after each use. It will help destroy bacteria and viruses, and prevent mildew and shower scum.

Remove mildew and soap scum from shower curtains

If you do happen to be battling a build up, H2O2 will save your lovely shower curtains. The nice ones aren’t exactly cheap so they’re worth saving! Laundry detergent alone isn’t quite enough to solve the problem. So, put your shower curtain in the washer with a towel and clean with laundry detergent. Then, add 1 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle. Just like new!

Toilet

What could use proper sanitization more than the commode? Simply add a half cup of hydrogen peroxide to the water and let sit for 20-30 minutes. We recommend that you swish it in, down the sides of the bowl, so that it can work on the whole surface area instead of just sitting dormant in the water at the bottom of the bowl. Once it’s done doing its part of the job, clean toilet as usual (with a brush or by hand) and flush.

Carving pumpkins is a fun activity every Halloween. However it is not the safest for children under the age of ten. Find out many different ways to decorate a pumpkin with your small child, without losing creativity.

Do you have a “Mr. Potato Head”? The face pieces for this toy can be used to decorate pumpkins. You can buy these face pieces in kits for Mr. and Mrs. Potato head. Your child can press the pieces into the pumpkin’s surface and come up with the craziest configuration possible! They can even re-arrange the face as many times as they want. This will ensure they are having fun and making their pumpkin perfect. The pumpkin is transformed into a funny face and it will also stay fresher much longer because you are not hollowing it out.

Use a golf tee and a rubber mallet to create beautiful pumpkin luminaries. Hollow the insides out first (a job only for the parent, although removing the pumpkin innards can be left to those who appreciate messy hands!). Let your child choose a design and print it out to use as a template. Show your child how to hammer the golf tee through the pumpkin and let them go to work! Your child will be occupied for more than ten minutes and the end result is beautiful.

Let your child paint the pumpkin to create a scary jack-o-lantern, scary face or their favorite character. The choices are endless as long as you have an array of paint colors. You can even add a fun hat to the pumpkin. Paint a green witch’s face, equipped with ugly moles and top it off with a witch’s hat!

Gauze is an inexpensive item that can be used to create Mummy heads. Decide what type of eyes your pumpkin will have. You can use Mr. Potato Head parts, paint eyes or find scary eye stickers. Then once your eyes are on the pumpkin, let your child wrap the pumpkin with gauze to create a mummy head. You could even add some fake blood to the gauze, to make the pumpkin even scarier!

No matter how you choose to decorate your pumpkin, make sure everyone has a fun and safe Halloween this year!

A Halloween themed wedding isn’t for everyone of course, but some couples love the spookiest holiday of the year and they find it very romantic. If this happens to be you, bravo! The opportunities to create a splendid, memorable, and unique event are endless. The best way to go about planning a wedding with this theme is to strike a balance between elegance and tradition so it doesn’t seem too kitschy. Try some of these ideas!

Serve water at dinner with dry ice misting out of the glass.

Use a mini coffin box to hold the rings while the ring bearer is carrying them.

Write your vows on vintage parchment paper, roll up, and tie with a beautiful black and purple ribbon. Have a member of the wedding party present the vows on an antique tray when it’s time to read them.

Wrap pumpkins in black or white lace and secure at the top with a boa

Use Dia de los Muertos figurines for the wedding couple cake topper.

If you’re having an outdoor wedding in an area surrounded by trees hang dozens of lanterns in the tree branches to light the ceremony from overhead.

Design the dinner table using all black chairs and table, white dishes, and black vases filled with white roses. If you’d like the theme to be slightly creepy place plastic spiders throughout the flowers.

Decorate faux trees as you would at Christmas. But rather than green trees use black trees and decorate them with silver, black, and white ornaments. When the tree is fully decorated spray everything with silver and black glitter so it sparkles.

On a large white pumpkin hand paint the phrase, “Till Death Do Us Part.” If possible, paint the letters in traditional calligraphy.

Carry a bouquet of dark yellow sunflowers, and use them for table centerpieces as well.

Have the flower girl carry black and red rose petals and yellow sunflower petals in a pumpkin pail. (Use a fancier version of those typically used by trick-or-treaters.)

Serve the formal dinner with a Halloween theme by asking the chef to prepare the mashed potatoes to look like ghosts and to make the squash look like mini pumpkins.

If the bride is going to walk a long path to the alter frame it with a large trellis made of multi-colored fall foliage. Line the path on both sides with candle lit jack-o-lanterns that have been carved with wedding themes.

There are several ways to guide the theme of a Halloween wedding. Certainly you can try a cutesy theme with a cartoon and Disneyesque vibe. However, another option you might want to consider is “dark elegance.” There is something beautiful about an air of mystery and All Hallow’s Eve is the ideal time to capitalize on it.

The level of formality at most weddings is dictated by the attire. It is, of course, the bride who sets the tone for the day so pay plenty of attention to how you will dress and require everyone to follow suit. After all you’re the star of the show on your wedding day. If you want your wedding to be pure class in the midst of a darkly romantic ambience, then start with the decision about color. Halloween is associated with black, orange, and purple for the most part. When planning colors for a wedding it never hurts to work white into the scheme, even if the wedding will be primarily dark tones.

An excellent color for the bridal gown is purple, and because Halloween is generally an overstated event we recommend a traditional ball gown. In keeping with the sense of mystique we most definitely recommend a veil with a long train. If you prefer to keep the wedding dress a light color, try experimenting with lavender instead of white. A large bustle with tiered layers adds a nice touch as well. Once your decision is made, use the opposite color for you bridesmaids and maid of honor. So, if your dress is purple have them wear lavender and vice versa. Next think about accessories. Lace is commonly associated with darkly romantic themes so include laces gloves for yourself and all of the gals.

In the spirit of the holiday we recommend adorning the ladies’ hairstyles with oversized fascinators made of flowers, feathers, and tulle. Another elegant and lovely accessory is a mask. Think along the lines of the beautiful and intricately designed masks used during Mardi Gras. If weather will be warm be sure to use masks that breathe and are lightweight. Otherwise your makeup will melt. The final consideration is your bouquet. Choose flowers that are in line with the fall season and exude class and good taste. Skip the orange and try white, black and purple flowers. Once the bouquet is designed ask the florist to spray it liberally with silver glitter so it has an element of magic.

You might be asking yourself what exactly qualifies as a boyfriend jean. Boyfriend jeans look just like they sound they would. They have the cut of a pair of jeans built for a man, so on you they will appear boxy and baggy. This isn’t a bad thing though. The reason they’re so well liked among fahsionistas is because the slightly careless shaping makes them look effortless. Effortless is often the hallmark of true style because it appears as if you didn’t have to try one bit to look amazing.

If you like that idea and you hate dressing up, boyfriend jeans just might become your new favorite garment in the closet. In addition to being a little baggy, the denim is typically very distressed (has rips and holes) so you’ll find lots of options with holes and frayed edges. To be a true boyfriend jean they must also be low rise. Now that you understand the ins and outs of them, let’s jump to ways to make outfits out of them!

In our final installment we share with you one of the most entertaining ways to accomplish the goal of cost-free home improvement. This is just plain fun!

Leftover paint

It’s common to keep the paint that is leftover after a home décor project. It’s usually for purposes of touch-up when someone dings the wall accidentally. But touch-ups require a miniscule amount of the leftover paint. Rather than waste the rest, use it to create a new color. You’ll feel like you’re back in kindergarten! Gather the paint leftovers from around the house, and grab a few stir sticks and a hammer.

Set up a secure workspace where a paint spill won’t be a problem. Use small plastic cups to mix small amounts of each color in varying proportions. Avoid large cups because they will require you to mix a lot of paint while you’re experimenting and you don’t want to waste it all during your mix experiment. Start small and add or subtract as necessary.

If you love the idea of this project, but feel rather uncertain about the science of color, plan ahead by doing a bit of internet research on color. You can also pick up a color wheel at the local craft store and reference it to see how color combinations typically turn out.

If, after some effort, you create a new color you love, it’s time to mix the big batch. Pour the ingredients into one of the large paints cans and mix vigorously with the stir stick. Determine if you need to make any slight adjustments. If not, hammer the lid down and give the can a massive shake. Voila! A whole new paint color. Use it on walls if you need to cover a small space like a recessed cut out. Better yet, use it for accessories like picture frames or wooden boxes.

Next we are going to discuss innovative ways to spruce up your home décor using magazines. They are full of commercial artwork and photography, and high quality publications usually have exciting, stunning or impressive imagery. Reach for all those issues you’ve been relegating to a stack on the table and make something unique.

Magazines

One option is to display them on hangers. Opt for the ones you bring home from the drycleaner. The wire is small and subtle so it won’t distract from the magazine cover, and it can be spray painted to match the room. Hang one magazine on each hanger, about half way through the magazine so it hangs evenly. Use a nail or tack in the wall and hang the hanger on it.

You can hang just one as a focal point near a place where you might reach for it, such as a crafting magazine in your craft room. You can also hang several of them (each on their own hanger) in an interesting configuration on a wall. Choose a theme or design guideline when selecting which magazine covers to display. For instances, if you’re fashion lover, group your fashion magazines together. Avoid mixing random, unrelated magazine genres, or your collection will look disparate and the overall effect will be less interesting.

Another great way to display magazines is by hanging them on the horizontal towel racks in the bathroom. Many people now roll up clean towels and store them in a cabinet or basket. Rather than leave the towel racks empty, lay the magazines over them, and center them evenly so they don’t fall down.

Last, but not least, create something beautiful in your home for free by tearing pages out of the magazine. If you have old images in frames that you’re tired of looking at, replace them with one of the pages you tore out. Or, look around the house for extra photo frames that aren’t being used. If you don’t have either of these around and you want to accomplish the goal for free, find excess poster boards or paper bags around the house and lay them behind the torn out pages to give the appearance of a frame.

Next read Part 3 – Three ways to decorate for free with household items – Leftover Paint

If you’re in the mood to do a fabulous new home decorating project but you don’t want to break the bank, try one of these three projects. They all use items that are typically lying around the house. They are fun to do and make for a great lazy afternoon distraction from life’s hectic pace.

Although glass is not a rarity or luxury, it is used much less frequently than in past. Have you ever picked up something under the impression that it is made of plastic, only to be surprised by the weight of it because it’s actually glass? It’s a pleasant surprise to discover that jars and bottles are still made of glass.

There are several types and all shapes and size. Liquor bottles are often unique and well designed. Some are even display-worthy without any additional treatment. Wine bottles are classically beautiful as well. Both wine and liquor bottles make for interesting holders for taper candles. Display in a group of five and use varying heights and shapes. Or, put one single long-stem flower in each of them.

Jars also provide a creative way to make the most of glass containers. The possibilities with jars are numerous, but one lovely option is to use them for small, fresh bouquets of flowers. Tie a ribbon or twine around the neck of the jar to pull the piece together.

They’re also great for storing dry goods, using additional free items from around the house to personalize them. Find extra pieces of fabric that are leftover from sewing or textile projects and cut them to size. Lay one over the top of the jar and secure it with a rubber band. If you have several, buy a two tier-rack and line it with 6-8 jars full various items.

With each of these suggestions we recommend removing the labels of the bottles and jars so they look clean and simple. To do so, use nail polish remover. You can also use lighter fluid, but not on items you’re going to use for candles! Once the labels are removed you essentially have a clean canvas. Unless the label is interesting or pretty – then, leave it as is and let it be part of the end result.

Next read Part 2 – Three ways to decorate for free with household items – Leftover Paint